Water droplets in lotion bottles

[isha]

Hi..
I made lotions few weeks back n now im noticing that they have some water droplets forming.
I had bottled them after cooling. I usually make at night n pack them in the morning.
Im afraid this will affect the shelf life.

Any idea why they r there n how to i avoid it in future.
Its a basic recepie from swift craft monkey. N few alteration like using aloe vera gel n green tea as part of liquid .TIA

 

[isha]

 

[Cellador]

To me, it looks like the lotion hadn't completely cooled before you bottled it.
EDIT How long has it been bottled?

 

[isha]

Its week 2 weeks i guess

 

[isha]

So shall i just wipe out the water n keep it uncapped for more time time n cap it again?

 

[Cellador]

So, the water didn't appear for 2 weeks? Or has it been there the whole time?
I would guess it's condensation either way, and I believe that, even with preservative, the condensation can cause contamination issues. Not sure though, so I'd wait for some others to respond.

 

[DeeAnna]

Whether you wipe out the condensation or not, you have a big problem. You say you've added tea and aloe to the recipe, and that means you are seriously challenging your preservative.

There is a reason why people who know about proper formulation warn against adding a lot of "cootie food" like tea and aloe to lotions and similar emulsions. You don't see a lot, if any, of this kind of additive in Susan's recipes (swiftcraftymonkey) because it's not safe.

Lotions are never sterile, even if you work in as sanitary a way as possible, so it is important to keep the food levels as low as possible. A preservative can only do so much, and you have to respect its limits. By adding a food source, you've created a situation ripe for unchecked microbial growth.

I personally wouldn't want to use this lotion after 2 weeks of sitting, condensation or no condensation.

 

[lenarenee]

Lotions are never sterile, even if you work in as sanitary a way as possible, so it is important to keep the food levels as low as possible. A preservative can only do so much, and you have to respect its limits. By adding a food source, you've created a situation ripe for unchecked microbial growth.

DeeAnna, is that true of store bought lotions too? (not sterile)

 

[DeeAnna]

Yes. There's no way a lotion can be utterly free from microorganisms (in other words, sterile), even if manufactured in a commercial environment. You cannot eliminate or get rid of microbes in a product. You can, however, reduce the microbe count by using sanitary manufacturing practices so the product is as clean as possible when made, minimizing sources of food in the product that encourage microbial growth, choosing containers that minimize contamination from the consumer, and using an effective preservative.

It's like mice in your house. You discourage them by storing the dog food and bird seed in metal bins, plugging up holes around your house, keeping the brush cleaned away from the house foundation, etc. That's working sanitary and eliminating sources of food.

Then you place mouse traps to catch the few mice that still sneak in. That's the preservative.

If you don't do the first parts -- eliminate food and clean up -- then you can set dozens of mouse traps and they still won't be very effective.

 

[isha]

Yes. There's no way a lotion can be utterly free from microorganisms (in other words, sterile), even if manufactured in a commercial environment. You cannot eliminate or get rid of microbes in a product. You can, however, reduce the microbe count by using sanitary manufacturing practices so the product is as clean as possible when made, minimizing sources of food in the product that encourage microbial growth, choosing containers that minimize contamination from the consumer, and using an effective preservative.

It's like mice in your house. You discourage them by storing the dog food and bird seed in metal bins, plugging up holes around your house, keeping the brush cleaned away from the house foundation, etc. That's working sanitary and eliminating sources of food.

Then you place mouse traps to catch the few mice that still sneak in. That's the preservative.

If you don't do the first parts -- eliminate food and clean up -- then you can set dozens of mouse traps and they still won't be very effective.

U r my guru... N i accept watever u say. I've how uaed only 5% of foodies.
Do u still think it might be contaminated..?
Most of the lotions come in white opaque bottles n we dong really see if they have the same issue...

 

[DeeAnna]

Contaminated? Of course. Sanitary by definition is not sterile. If a product isn't sterile, then of course it has contamination. The point I've been saying several times here is that you cannot eliminate microbes -- you can only control them by minimizing their numbers and discouraging them from growing.

A lotion with just fat and water can be preserved relatively easily because microbes find it harder to grow in a diet of just fat and water. They can, but it's not as easy as a diet that also contains carbohydrates (sugars or starches). Add carbs, as you have done by adding aloe and and tea ... and the nutritional balance changes into something of a feast for microbes.

Prove it to yourself -- brew a cup of coffee or tea with boiling hot water. Let it cool and cover it. Let it sit on the counter at room temperature for 2 weeks. Take a look at the liquid at that time and decide if you would be willing to put it on your skin. Brewed coffee or tea most likely has very little food value, but it has enough carbohydrates to allow microbes to grow. Compare this to what you are doing with your lotion. You decide.

 

[cmzaha]

Soap Queen has a recipe for a no oil lotion that is lovely, but her recipe contains tapioca starch. I made it with and without the starch added in used my normal 2 preservatives and guess what, the one with tapioca starch grew mold on the culture strip and the one without did not. I know the culture test kits are not perfectly reliable, but I use them to determine if I am going to pay the money for challenge testing. I like them to come out clean first then send out for challenge testing

 

[isha]

Contaminated? Of course. Sanitary by definition is not sterile. If a product isn't sterile, then of course it has contamination. The point I've been saying several times here is that you cannot eliminate microbes -- you can only control them by minimizing their numbers and discouraging them from growing.

A lotion with just fat and water can be preserved relatively easily because microbes find it harder to grow in a diet of just fat and water. They can, but it's not as easy as a diet that also contains carbohydrates (sugars or starches). Add carbs, as you have done by adding aloe and and tea ... and the nutritional balance changes into something of a feast for microbes.

Prove it to yourself -- brew a cup of coffee or tea with boiling hot water. Let it cool and cover it. Let it sit on the counter at room temperature for 2 weeks. Take a look at the liquid at that time and decide if you would be willing to put it on your skin. Brewed coffee or tea most likely has very little food value, but it has enough carbohydrates to allow microbes to grow. Compare this to what you are doing with your lotion. You decide.

The fact confuses me that the one with green tea n alove doesnot have droplets..
The one without. One in the pic blue is just oils n water

 

[shunt2011]

The fact confuses me that the one with green tea n alove doesnot have droplets..
The one without. One in the pic blue is just oils n water

You never mentioned that you had done two different versions in your original post. You only stated you used aloe & tea. That information may have been helpful to those who are trying to help.

Also, why would you make so much lotion without testing small batches first to see if you even like it. Can be a very expensive mistake if it's not good.

 

[Dahila]

in the pink one it looks like separation to me, I hope you are not going to sell these bottles.

 

[DeeAnna]

I am basically ignoring the condensation issue. I'm only talking about your use of tea and aloe.

 

[soapmaker]

Please do not sell. Send samples of your lotion to a reputable lab if you doubt, that will show you plainly.

 

[The Efficacious Gentleman]

I am basically ignoring the condensation issue. I'm only talking about your use of tea and aloe.

Especially as this was a basic recipe from Susan - I don't think that the amount of preservative was increased to take it in to account at all

 

[isha]

Im not selling them. They r test batches of 300-400 gms each...
Sorry might have missed giving full details in the 1st post.
Ive made around 10 batches and used them too.. Some feel good to me. Some dont.. Coconut oil doesnt suit me.. So.
When i made them fresh. The very next day i gave 5 ml samples to couple of my frnds to get their feedback as everyone had diff skin type.
Ive tried diff oil combinations in them

The aloe n tea part is just 5-10% in them rest is water..
Preservative used phenonip at 1%

 

[isha]

So im postin the pic again. N some more details

The blue is water n oils.
Green is green tea. Which seems to be perfectly fine.

See the 2nd blue bottle has no droplets
What i just observed is that. The bottles in the front row in my stacking area have these droplets..n the ones at back dont

1st bottle was in the front row n 2nd one was at the back.

And yes, during the day time. Some sunlight does fall on my stackin area.

Do u still think it is the recipe? Or is sun playing the culprit here